NEW ORLEANS – McNeese beach volleyball concluded its season with a nail-biting 3-2 loss to San Jose State in the Southland Conference Championships.
 
The seventh-seeded Cowgirls conclude the season with a 13-19 record, having gone 2-6 in SLC play as the third-seeded Spartans improve to 13-19, 6-2 SLC and advance to play Houston Christian, the fifth seed.
 
As the first pairs took the courts, McKenzie Moore and Jackie McGee were victorious in the No. 3 pair, taking both sets 21-16 against the Spartans. The match victory gave the Cowgirls an early 1-0 advantage. The duo improved their season record to 17-8.
 
On the court for the No. 1 pair, Stavroula Papazoglou and Reese Russell fell in two sets, the first being 21-13 before a narrow 22-20 second set as the Pokes came from behind to try and force a third set.
 
McNeese inched ahead for a 2-1 lead as McKenna Malone and Bethanie Durant clinched the No. 5 pair 21-16, 21-15.
 
Harlee Tupper and Luciana Chong fell in the first set 21-17 of the No. 4 pair before forcing a third with a 23-21 win. The pair fell 15-9 in the final set to tie up the dual.
 
San Jose State clinched the dual to advance as Rylee Lansing and Kendall Osgood fell in three sets as the No. 2 pair. They took the first set 21-16 before falling 21-18 in the second. The Spartans won the final set 15-9.
 
McNeese claimed its first SLC Tournament victory in program history yesterday 3-1 against Nicholls to advance to the second elimination match. The squad won 10 more duals in its second year as a program under the leadership of head coach Yasmin Tan.
 
San Jose State 3, McNeese 2
1 . Moore, Sabrina/Edwards, Kiara (SJSU) 2-0 Papazoglou, Stavroula/Russell, Reese (McN) 21-13 22-20
2 . Hall, Jada/Reeves, Randi (SJSU) 2-1 Lansing, Rylee/Osgood, Kendall (McN) 16-21 21-18 15-9
3 . McGee, Jackie/Moore, McKenzie (McN) 2-0 Salmon, Anna/Moore, Kylee (SJSU) 21-16 21-16
4 . DeMarse, Addison/Milroy, Elon (SJSU) 2-1 Chuong, Luciana/Tupper, Harlee (McN) 21-17 21-23 15-9
5 . Durant, Bethanie/Malone, McKenna (McN) 2-0 Dale, Alexandra/McBride, Aubrey (SJSU) 21-16 21-15
*Bold indicates clinching point